The Year in Books

Every year, Soundcheck presents "Critics Week," a series highlighting the best and worst of music of the year. Host John Schaefer is joined by music critics to discuss the year’s best- and worst- albums in pop, hip-hop, classical, opera, rock, jazz, world and Latin.

Bookforum editor Michael Miller shares his top picks for this years releases in books… that take on music. The high profile (Keith Richards and Patti Smith), mix in with some unexpected (fiction about The Smiths, scholarly pieces about jazz musician Art Pepper) and more.

Guests:

Comments [5]

Carolyn
from Brooklyn

Good question about whether Patti Smith's writing is "poetic"! I think that even if her prose is not flowery or lyrical, her narrative does some of the same magic that great poetry does. Her narrative threads together the elements of everyday life that reveal its magic. The serendipitous moments, motifs, and surprises she clearly recognizes as the stuff of legend--or just great literature--reflect her inner poet, to me.

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WNYC’s source to hear your favorite bands and discover new ones, with live in-studio performances, interviews, and tips on wading through New York’s ever-vibrant concert scene. Hosted by John Schaefer.